U.S. patent application number 16/632869 was filed with the patent office on 2020-06-11 for vertical solar apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is Xiaoping BOLYMEDIA HOLDINGS CO. LTD. Hu. Invention is credited to Xiaoping Hu.
Application Number | 20200186081 16/632869 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65233328 |
Filed Date | 2020-06-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200186081 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hu; Xiaoping |
June 11, 2020 |
VERTICAL SOLAR APPARATUS
Abstract
Disclosed is a vertical solar apparatus, comprising a vertical
light guide device (110) and a light energy utilization device
(120), wherein the vertical light guide device (110) comprises at
least one Fresnel lens (111, 112) arranged substantially
vertically; and the light energy utilization device has a second
light receiving surface (Fa2) substantially laid out flat. The
light guide device is used for deflecting sunlight, such that the
sunlight is at least partially guided to the second light receiving
surface (Fa2). The solar apparatus can be adapted in order to be
mounted in a long and narrow zone, and a vertical structure thereof
enables the solar apparatus to easily engage with an elevation of a
building, thereby saving on an additional occupied area.
Inventors: |
Hu; Xiaoping; (Shenzhen,
Guangdong, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hu; Xiaoping
BOLYMEDIA HOLDINGS CO. LTD. |
Shenzhen, Guangdong
Santa Clara |
CA |
CN
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
65233328 |
Appl. No.: |
16/632869 |
Filed: |
August 4, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
August 4, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CN2017/095983 |
371 Date: |
January 21, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24S 2030/11 20180501;
H02S 40/22 20141201; G02B 3/08 20130101; F24S 23/31 20180501; F24S
10/75 20180501; H02S 10/30 20141201 |
International
Class: |
H02S 40/22 20060101
H02S040/22; H02S 10/30 20060101 H02S010/30; F24S 23/30 20060101
F24S023/30; G02B 3/08 20060101 G02B003/08 |
Claims
1. A vertical solar apparatus comprising: a vertical light guiding
device having a thickness and a height greater than the thickness
and provided with a substantially upright first light receiving
surface configured for receiving sunlight, and a light energy
utilizing device having a second light receiving surface laid
substantially flat and configured for receiving sunlight, the
second light receiving surface having an area smaller than that of
the first light receiving surface being arranged on a side of the
first light receiving surface; the vertical light guiding device
comprising at least one Fresnel lens arranged substantially
vertically, and the vertical light guiding device being configured
for deflecting sunlight reaching the first light receiving surface
and guiding it at least partially to the second light receiving
surface.
2. The solar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the Fresnel
lens is selected from: a single-faced Fresnel lens with a tooth
surface on one side and a smooth surface on the other, and a
double-faced Fresnel lens with tooth surfaces on both sides; at
least one tooth surface comes from a part of a complete tooth
surface such that the optical center of the part is located at an
edge thereof, and the complete tooth surface refers to a tooth
surface derived from a symmetrical smooth refracting surface with
the optical center thereof consistent with geometric center.
3. The solar apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the complete
tooth surface is a concentrating tooth surface or an astigmatic
tooth surface, and the complete tooth surface is selected from the
group consisting of a circumferentially symmetric tooth surface, a
linear tooth surface and an elliptical tooth surface; and the
macroscopic shape of the tooth surface is selected from the group
consisting of a flat surface, a curved surface and a folded
surface.
4. The solar apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one
tooth surface is divided into at least two regions along the height
direction, and the region at a higher position region has a shorter
focal length.
5. The solar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the
Fresnel lens is a reflective Fresnel lens with any one side thereof
also formed as a reflecting surface; or the vertical light guiding
device further includes a first reflecting device with a reflecting
surface thereof which fixedly or movably covered on one surface of
a vertical Fresnel lens arranged substantially vertically; or the
vertical light guiding device further includes a second reflecting
device with a reflecting surface arranged on the same side of the
first light receiving surface as the second light receiving
surface.
6. The solar apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first
reflecting device includes a curtain-type reflecting surface and a
driving mechanism which is able to drive the curtain-type
reflecting surface to switch between an expanded state and a
retracted state.
7. The solar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vertical
light guiding device is formed as a closed cavity with two walls
facing opposite to each other, one side of one wall is formed as
the first light receiving surface, and one of the two walls is a
Fresnel lens or both the two walls are Fresnel lenses.
8. The solar apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the light
energy utilizing device is arranged inside the closed cavity, or
the second light receiving surface is formed as a part of an inner
surface of the closed cavity.
9. The solar apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the closed
cavity is filled with a gas having a pressure greater than 1
atmospheric pressure, or a gas having a refractive index greater
than 1.
10. The solar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vertical
light guiding device further includes a Fresnel lens arranged
substantially horizontally, located on the optical path in front of
the second light receiving surface and disposed on the same side of
the first light receiving surface as the second light receiving
surface.
11. The solar apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a
front-end light concentrating device having a lateral dimension
greater than the thickness of the vertical light guiding device,
the front-end light concentrating device being arranged above the
vertical light guiding device and configured for converging
sunlight radiating from above.
12. The solar apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a
rotating shaft arranged substantially vertically on which the
apparatus is installed to adjust the orientation of the first light
receiving surface according to the position of the sun.
13. The solar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light
energy utilizing device is selected from a photovoltaic conversing
device or a thermal energy utilizing device or a combination
thereof, when the photoelectric conversing device is used in
combination with the thermal energy utilizing device, the thermal
energy utilizing device is arranged on the back side of the light
energy utilizing device or wraps the light energy utilizing device
and is thermally connected to the light energy utilizing
device.
14. The solar apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shape of
the vertical light guiding device is selected from the group
consisting of a wedge, a column extending in the vertical
direction, and a column extending in the horizontal direction; the
cross-sectional shape of the column perpendicular to the extending
direction is selected from the group consisting of: circle, square,
rectangle, ellipse, hexagon and octagon; and when the column
extends vertically, the first light receiving surface is formed on
the column surface; and when the column extends horizontally, the
first light receiving surface is formed on the vertical wall
surface.
15. The solar apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at
least one of the following: a piezoelectric vibrator comprising a
piezoelectric vibrating piece and a driving circuit thereof, the
piezoelectric vibrating piece being mechanically connected to the
vertical light guiding device to drive its light receiving surface
to vibrate; and at least one LED light powered by a photovoltaic
conversing device included in the light energy utilizing device.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to clean energy, in
particular to vertical solar apparatus installed upright.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Solar systems have been growing in popularity with
increasing focus on environmental protection.
[0003] Most of available solar systems are in a horizontal
arrangement due to each area of their light receiving surfaces
being directly proportional to the input of solar energy. Only in
areas with higher latitudes, such as the North Pole and South Pole,
would the photovoltaic panels of the solar systems be set to have a
larger angle with the horizon. While in other vast regions, the
angles between the photovoltaic panels and the horizon are usually
less than 45 degrees so as to obtain higher light energy
utilization efficiency.
[0004] Since the solar system arranged flat has a larger footprint,
it is difficult to fix up the solar system in regions with high
population densities, especially in large cities where the solar
devices are hard to be promoted and utilized due to the requirement
for large hand occupation. And if a solar power station is built in
a remote area, it may bring problems in power transmission and
management.
[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to study solar energy apparatus
that are more space-saving and easy to arrange.
SUMMARY
[0006] A vertical solar provided according to the present
disclosure may include a vertical light guiding device and a light
energy utilizing device. The vertical light guiding device has a
thickness and a height greater than the thickness and has a
substantially upright first light receiving surface configured for
receiving sunlight. The light energy utilizing device has a second
light receiving surface laid substantially flat and configured for
receiving sunlight. The second light receiving surface has an area
smaller than that of the first light receiving surface and is
arranged on a side of the first light receiving surface. The
vertical light guiding device may comprise at least one Fresnel
lens arranged substantially vertically, and the vertical light
guiding device is configured for deflecting sunlight reaching the
first light receiving surface and guiding it at least partially to
the second light receiving surface.
[0007] The terms "vertical" and "laid flat" as used herein are
relative concepts. When the angle between the normal of the light
receiving surface and the direction of gravity of the location is
greater than 60 degrees, it can be regarded as "substantially
vertical". And When the angle between the normal of the light
receiving surface and the direction of gravity of the location is
less than 30 degrees, it can be regarded as "substantially laid
flat".
[0008] (Beneficial Effect)
[0009] The solar device according to the present disclosure can be
applied to be mounted in a long and narrow zone (such as two sides
of a highway, the edge of a river or a lake) due to its vertical
structure. And the vertical structure makes it easy to engage with
the facade of other buildings (such as fences, fences, building
exterior walls, etc.), which can go beyond elimination of
independent brackets required for traditional solar installations,
and extend to improvement of wind resistance of the solar
apparatus. It also greatly saves additional occupied space, which
is very advantageous for cities with very high population
densities.
[0010] Hereinafter, specific examples according to the present
invention will be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings. Terms used to indicate position, such as
"upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", etc., only indicate relative
positional relationships and do not have absolute meanings. The
numbers or serial numbers used herein, such as "first", "second",
etc., are for identification purposes only and do not have any
restrictive meaning.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vertical solar apparatus
according to Embodiment 1;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of two patterns of a tooth
surface of a Fresnel lens in the present disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a vertical solar apparatus
according to Embodiment 2;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a vertical solar apparatus
according to Embodiment 3;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a vertical solar apparatus
of Embodiment 4;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a vertical solar apparatus
of Embodiment 5;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a vertical solar apparatus
according to Embodiment 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiment 1
[0018] Referring to FIG. 1 a vertical solar apparatus according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a vertical
light guiding device 110 and a light energy utilizing device
120.
[0019] The vertical light guiding device 110, having a thickness
and a height larger than the thickness, is provided with an
essentially-vertical first light receiving surface Fa1 for
receiving sunlight. In this embodiment, the vertical light guiding
device includes two Fresnel lenses 111, 112 which are arranged
substantially uprightly and formed as walls facing each other. Any
one wall surface of the Fresnel lenses 111, 112 may be regarding as
the first light receiving surface. The rear wall surface (which is
farther from a light source) of the lens 111 shown in FIG. 1 is
taken as an example; in this respect, the thickness of the light
guiding device is the distance between the two walls.
[0020] In other embodiments, the two upright walls of the light
guiding device may also employ a Fresnel lens for only one wall,
and the other wall may be formed of a smooth transparent material
or a reflector. Or the light guiding device may only include a
substantially vertical wall formed by a Fresnel lens; in this
respect, the thickness of the light guiding device is only the
thickness of the Fresnel lens.
[0021] The light energy utilizing device 120 has a second light
receiving surface Fa2 laid substantially flat for receiving
sunlight. The second light receiving surface, arranged on a side of
the first light receiving surface, has an area smaller than that of
the first light receiving surface. The sunlight LL is at least
partially guided to the second light receiving surface after being
deflected by the light guiding device 110.
[0022] The light energy utilizing device may refer to various
devices that convert light energy into other energy, including a
photovoltaic conversing device or a thermal energy utilizing device
or a combination thereof. By using the light guiding device to
converge light, a higher light-concentration ratio can be
generated, hence the light energy utilizing device may include the
thermal energy utilizing device. The photovoltaic conversing device
may include photovoltaic panels, photovoltaic films, quantum dot
photovoltaic panels and the like made of various materials. The
thermal energy utilizing device may include thermal energy storage
(referring to containers holding heat storage working medium, such
as water heaters), thermoelectric conversing devices, Stirling
generators, thermal energy generators and so on. In this
embodiment, a photovoltaic panel is used as the light energy
utilizing device, and its surface is the second light receiving
surface. In other embodiments, the photovoltaic conversing device
and the thermal energy utilizing device may be used by series to
achieve higher solar energy utilization efficiency. For example,
the thermal energy utilizing device may be arranged on the back
side of the light energy utilizing device or wrap the light energy
utilizing device transparently and be thermally connected to the
light energy utilizing device.
[0023] Fresnel lenses are mainly used as light guiding elements in
the present disclosure. Fresnel lenses are thin lenses that are
lightweight and convenient for batch production. The vertical light
guiding device with Fresnel lens as its main component can increase
the light-concentration ratio at a relatively low cost and greatly
save the occupation of precious land. The tooth surface of a
Fresnel lens is obtained by dividing the smooth refractive surface
of an ordinary lens, so the texture of the tooth surface and its
corresponding smooth lens surface usually have consistent optical
symmetry. The "concentrating" (or "astigmatic") Fresnel lens herein
may refer to a Fresnel lens that functionally condenses light
toward the optical center of the lens (or diffuses out of the
optical center), and its tooth surface usually comes from a convex
lens surface (or a concave lens surface). A "linear" Fresnel lens
herein including a linear astigmatic Fresnel lens and a linear
light-concentrating Fresnel lens means that the focus center of the
lens is a line instead of being concentrated at one point. For
example, the tooth surface of a linear Fresnel lens may be
originated from a concave (or convex) cylindrical surface, or a
concave (or convex) polynomial cylindrical surface.
[0024] The Fresnel lens used in the present disclosure may be
selected from the following: a single-faced Fresnel lens with a
toothed surface on one side and a smooth surface on the other, and
a double-faced Fresnel lens with toothed surfaces on both sides.
For example, in this embodiment, in order to facilitate the
cleaning of the apparatus's vertical face, both Fresnel lenses 111,
112 can be single-faced Fresnel lenses with only one tooth surface,
and the two tooth surfaces are disposed inwardly opposite each
other. For simplicity, in this embodiment, the macroscopic shapes
of the tooth surfaces are all flat. The so-called "macroscopic
shape" refers to the geometric shape of the Fresnel lens as a whole
after ignoring the undulations of the tooth surface; also it can be
understood as the shape of the smooth enveloping surface of the
Fresnel lens. In other embodiments, the macroscopic shape of the
tooth surface may also be a curved surface or a folded surface,
which may be determined according to the requirements of the
installation place and the optical design.
[0025] To favorably converge the sunlight irradiated onto the
vertical light receiving surface to the side, a "lateral light
focusing" tooth surface (i.e. it has the function of concentrating
light rays in a sideways direction) may be adopted as the tooth
surface of the vertical lens in a preferred embodiment. Such tooth
surface comes from a part of a "complete tooth surface" so that the
optical center of the tooth surface is located at the edge
(including near the edge). In other words, the "complete tooth
surface" can be cut along its optical centerline (for a "linear"
lens, it is along its optical center surface), and the "lateral
light focusing" tooth surface can be obtained. The so-called
"complete tooth surface" refers to a tooth surface derived from a
symmetric smooth refractive surface, the optical center of which is
consistent with the geometric center; for example, it can be:
[0026] a circumferentially symmetrical concentrating or astigmatic
tooth surface with a single focal spot,
[0027] an axisymmetric linear concentrating or linear astigmatic
tooth surface, and
[0028] an axisymmetric elliptical concentrating or elliptical
astigmatic tooth surface with two focal spots.
[0029] A schematic pattern of two "lateral light focusing" tooth
surfaces are exemplarily shown in FIG. 2, wherein (a) is a
schematic view of approximately half a circumferentially
symmetrical tooth surface, and (b) is a schematic view of
approximately half a linear tooth surface.
[0030] In the case where the light guiding device includes multiple
tooth surfaces, all the tooth surfaces of the vertical lenses can
use the "lateral light focusing" tooth surface, or a part of them
employs the complete tooth surface and the other part the "lateral
light focusing" tooth surface. For example, the last vertical tooth
surface located in front of the second light receiving surface may
be arranged as the "lateral light focusing" tooth surface.
[0031] It is worth mentioning that the "lateral light focusing"
tooth surface may not only be a part cut from the concentrating
tooth surface (the subsequent light path follows the deflection
direction of the concentrated light), but also be a part cut from
the astigmatic tooth surface (the subsequent light path follows the
deflection direction of its divergent light), which unexpectedly
achieves focusing light rays laterally by means of a part of the
astigmatic tooth surface according to the present disclosure
[0032] Preferably, the vertical light guiding device 110 in this
embodiment is formed as a closed cavity, which may go beyond
convenience for cleaning and maintenance, and extend to enhancement
of the overall strength of the apparatus. Further preferably, the
closed cavity may also be filled with a gas 113, such as a
high-pressure gas (i.e. a gas having a pressure greater than one
atmospheric pressure) or an optical gas (i.e. a gas having a
refractive index greater than that of air under identical physical
conditions). Filling with high-pressure gas helps to increase the
strength of the apparatus against external forces, while filling
with optical gas can support the light guiding device to increase
light convergence. In addition, non-optical gas may be pressurized
to have a refractive index greater than 1.
[0033] In other embodiments, the light energy utilizing device may
be arranged inside the closed cavity of the light guiding device,
or the second light receiving surface may be formed as a part of
the inner surface of the closed cavity. A reflecting surface may
also be introduced in the light guiding device to achieve a richer
and more flexible optical design; for example, any Fresnel lens
vertically arranged can make it a reflective Fresnel lens by
forming the side of the lens facing away from the second light
receiving surface to be a reflecting surface; or providing a
reflecting surface by using a fixed or movable reflecting
device.
[0034] The shape of the vertical light guiding apparatus in this
embodiment is a pillar extending in the vertical direction, and its
cross-sectional shape is rectangular, which is suitable for being
arranged along a narrow and long zone or on a flat building facade.
The vertical light guiding apparatus in other embodiments may also
be in different shapes according to the needs of the application
scenario, such as a wedge shape, or a pillar extended horizontally.
The cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the extension direction
of the pillar may be selected from the group consisting of a
circle, a square, a rectangle, an oval, a hexagon and an octagon.
When the pillar extends vertically, the first light receiving
surface is formed on the surface of the pillar; and when the pillar
extends in the horizontal direction, the first light receiving
surface is formed on the upright wall surface (or end surface).
Embodiment 2
[0035] Referring to FIG. 3, a vertical solar apparatus according to
another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a vertical
light guiding device 210 and a light energy utilizing device
220.
[0036] The vertical light guiding device 210 has a wedge shape and
includes two Fresnel lenses 211, 212 arranged substantially
vertically and formed as walls facing each other. The lenses 211,
212 are single-faced Fresnel lenses with tooth surfaces arranged
inwardly opposite each other, and smooth back surfaces outward. The
tooth surface of the lens 212 can be regarded as the first light
receiving surface Fa1. The lens 212 is a reflective Fresnel lens,
and its smooth back surface facing outward is a reflecting
surface.
[0037] The light energy utilizing device 220 is arranged at the
bottom of the wedge, forming as a whole with the structure of the
light guiding device, thereby providing a low-cost and
high-performance vertical solar apparatus.
[0038] Preferably, the light guiding device 210 in this embodiment
further includes reflectors 214, 214' arranged on both sides of the
first light receiving surface. These reflectors can better converge
sunlight toward the second light receiving surface when the sun is
deflected in a direction parallel to the first light receiving
surface.
[0039] The wedge-shaped structure of the apparatus in this
embodiment makes it difficult for dust to accumulate, and the
facade can be washed well by rainwater. Therefore, in regions with
normal rainfall, it is almost unnecessary to clean the light
receiving surface.
Embodiment 3
[0040] Referring to FIG. 4, a vertical solar apparatus according to
still another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a
vertical light guiding device 310 and a light energy utilizing
device 320.
[0041] The vertical light guiding device 310 has a rectangular
column appearance and includes two Fresnel lenses 311, 312 arranged
substantially vertically and formed as walls facing each other. The
lenses 311, 312 are single-faced or double-faced Fresnel lenses.
The outer surface of the lens 311 may be regarded as the first
light receiving surface Fa1.
[0042] The light energy utilizing device 320 is a combination of a
photovoltaic panel 321 and a thermal energy utilizing device 322.
The photovoltaic panel 321 is arranged at the bottom of the light
guiding device, and its surface is the second light receiving
surface Fa2. The thermal energy utilizing device 322 is arranged on
the back side of the photovoltaic panel, and the working medium
3221 therein exchanges heat with the photovoltaic panel through a
thermally conductive connection. The working medium 3221 can
perform material or heat exchange with an external system through
an inflow pipe 3222 and an outflow pipe 3223. For example, the
thermal energy utilizing device 322 may be part of a hot water
supply system or a thermal energy generator.
[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the vertical light guiding device
310 may further include a curtain-type reflecting device 315 and a
Fresnel lens 316 arranged substantially horizontally.
[0044] The reflecting device 315 includes a curtain-type reflecting
surface 3151 and a driving mechanism composed of a rotating shaft
3152 and a guiding rod 3153. The driving mechanism can drive the
curtain-type reflecting surface 3151 to switch between an expanded
state and a retracted state, so that the reflecting surface 3151
can movably cover the outer surface of the Fresnel lens 312. This
not only helps to reduce the thickness of the apparatus, but also
enables the apparatus in this embodiment to better meet the needs
of different usage scenarios.
[0045] The horizontal Fresnel lens 316 is arranged on the optical
path in front of the second light receiving surface, and is
disposed on the same side of the first light receiving surface as
the second light receiving surface. By setting the horizontal light
concentrating lens, the light guiding device can be significantly
increased in height to get more solar energy.
Embodiment 4
[0046] Referring to FIG. 5, a vertical solar apparatus according to
yet still another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a
vertical light guiding device 410 and a light energy utilizing
device 420.
[0047] The vertical light guiding device 410 has a rectangular
column appearance and includes two Fresnel lenses 411, 412 arranged
substantially vertically and formed as walls facing each other. The
outer surface of the lens 411 can be regarded as the first light
receiving surface Fa1. The tooth surface of the lens 411 in this
embodiment adopts a preferred arrangement, that is, it is divided
into two regions along the height direction, each region having
different focal lengths. In this embodiment, the region A1 at a
higher position has a shorter focal length than that of the region
A2 at a lower position. This manner can effectively increase the
height of the apparatus and the concentration ratio. In other
embodiments, the vertical tooth surface can also be divided into
more regions with different focal lengths. This manner of setting
the focal length by sub-regions can be applied to all or part of
the vertical tooth surfaces.
[0048] The light energy utilizing device 420 is a combination of a
photovoltaic panel 421 and a thermal energy utilizing device 422.
Unlike Embodiment 3, the thermal energy utilizing device 422 is
integrated at the bottom of the light guiding device 410, so that
the light energy utilizing device and the light guiding device are
formed as a whole.
[0049] The light guiding device in this embodiment does not include
a reflecting surface, so sunlight from any direction can be
deflected to the bottom thereof through the light guiding device.
However, due to the small thickness of the light guiding device,
the light receiving area of the light guiding device may be
relatively small for sunlight shining in the vertical direction on
a sunny noon at low latitudes. Therefore, the solar apparatus in
this embodiment may preferably further include a front-end light
concentrating device 430 arranged above the vertical light guiding
device 410 and configured for converging the sunlight shining from
above. The lateral dimension of the device 430 is greater than the
thickness of the vertical light guiding device 410. The front-end
light condensing device 430 in this embodiment is formed in a
sloped roof shape, and is operated by a light concentrating Fresnel
lens. By providing a front-end light concentrating device with a
large lateral size, the apparatus of this embodiment can be better
applied to equatorial regions with strong vertical sunlight,
effectively increasing power generation. Moreover, the apparatus of
this embodiment can also be applicably mounted with the first light
receiving surface facing the east-west direction instead of
limiting to the north-south direction.
[0050] The solar apparatus in this embodiment may preferably
further include a piezoelectric vibrator 440 comprising a
piezoelectric vibrating piece 441 and a driving circuit (not
shown). The piezoelectric vibrating piece is mechanically connected
to the light guiding device 410 so as to drive the light receiving
surface of the latter to vibrate. Dust is usually not easily
deposited on the light receiving surface for a vertical solar
apparatus, but it can be shaken off by a vibrator so as to achieve
self-cleaning of the light receiving surface. The vibrator may be
disposed on an extra-essential light receiving surface, for
example, on the side of the light guiding device in this
embodiment, as long as it can drive the light receiving surface to
vibrate.
Embodiment 5
[0051] Referring to FIG. 6, the vertical solar apparatus according
to still yet another embodiment of the present disclosure includes
a vertical light guiding device 510 and a light energy utilizing
device 520.
[0052] The vertical light guiding device 510 has a column shape
extending in a horizontal direction with a hexagonal cross section
perpendicular to the extending direction. The light guiding device
510 includes two hexagonal Fresnel lenses 511 and 512 arranged
substantially vertically and formed as a closed cavity. The lens
512 is a reflective Fresnel lens with a reflective back surface
facing outward. The outer surface of the lens 511 can be regarded
as the first light receiving surface Fa1. Each cylindrical surface
on the side may be transparent or a reflecting surface. For
example, the left and right side surfaces 514 and 514' located on
the lower half may be arranged as reflecting surfaces.
[0053] The light energy utilizing device 520 (for example, a
photovoltaic panel) can be enclosed inside the light guiding
device, for example, arranged at the bottom of the light guiding
device. This may go beyond safety and extend to making the shape of
the entire solar apparatus regular and beautiful.
[0054] The solar apparatus in this embodiment may be small in size
and have large strength because of its structural characteristics,
so it can be used as a solar brick for piling up to form a vertical
wall of a building.
[0055] The solar brick in this embodiment may preferably further
include a plurality of LED lights 550 powered by the photovoltaic
panel 520. The built wall can be used for lighting or landscaping,
and can also be used as an outdoor information display.
Embodiment 6
[0056] Referring to FIG. 7, a vertical solar apparatus according to
another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a vertical
light guiding device 610 and a photovoltaic panel 620.
[0057] The vertical light guiding device 610 has only one upright
wall formed by a Fresnel lens 611. A photovoltaic panel 620 is
arranged on one side of the top of the upright wall. The lens 611
is a reflective Fresnel lens. The side of the lens 611 facing the
photovoltaic panel can be regarded as the first light receiving
surface Fa1, and the side facing away from the photovoltaic panel
is a reflecting surface. Preferably, the light guiding device 610
in this embodiment further includes a side reflector 614 arranged
substantially flat at the bottom edge of the lens 611, and the
reflecting surface thereof faces the second light receiving surface
Fa2. The included angle between the reflector 614 and the lens 611
may be slightly less than 90 degrees, so that the light from the
lens 611 can be better reflected back and finally converged on the
photovoltaic panel 620.
[0058] The solar apparatus in this embodiment may preferably
further include a substantially vertical rotating shaft 660 on
which the entire solar apparatus is mounted on so that the
orientation of the first light receiving surface can be adjusted
according to the position of the sun. The rotating shaft 660 can be
regarded as a sun-tracking system rotating horizontally. By
combined utilization with the sun-tracking system, the solar
apparatus in this embodiment can excel at light energy receiving
efficiency. Compared with a conventional solar system capable of
horizontal rotation which needs to increase its height and
horizontal size to enlarge light receiving area, to obtain more
solar energy, the apparatus of this embodiment only needs to
increasing the height dimension.
[0059] The principle and implementation manners present disclosure
have been described above with reference to the specific examples,
which are merely provided for the purpose of understanding the
present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present
disclosure. It will be possible for those skilled in the art to
make variations based on the principle of the present
disclosure.
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